9. Two unmarried persons want to buy property in such a way that upon the death of one, the other will own the entire property. They should take title as
Answer: B
They should take title as joint tenants.
Buying property as joint tenants allows for the right of survivorship, meaning that when one owner dies, the other automatically inherits the entire property.
A) tenants in common.
Tenants in common do not have the right of survivorship. If one owner dies, their share of the property passes to their estate rather than the other tenant, making this option unsuitable for the scenario where one person wishes to inherit the entire property upon the other's death.
B) joint tenants.
Joint tenants share equal ownership of the property and have the right of survivorship. This means that if one owner dies, the surviving owner immediately becomes the sole owner of the property, fulfilling the requirement that one person should inherit the entire property upon the other's death.
C) severalty.
Ownership in severalty means that the property is owned by one individual alone. This option does not meet the criteria of two unmarried persons wanting to co-own the property and does not provide for any transfer of ownership upon death.
D) tenants by the entireties.
Tenants by the entireties is a form of ownership available only to married couples. Since the question specifies that the individuals are unmarried, this option is not applicable and would not allow for the desired transfer of ownership upon death.
Conclusion
The most appropriate method for the two unmarried persons to ensure that the surviving owner inherits the entire property upon the death of the other is to take title as joint tenants. All other options fail to provide the necessary right of survivorship or are not applicable due to the marital status of the owners. Joint tenancy distinctly meets their requirement, making it the correct choice.